I never worked retail (well, once, but it was a very simple one where people could see for themselves all of our inventory and I was a glorified pointer), but did several stints in customer service jobs and several years in social work. I for sure can remember that the person working the job has likely been on their feet for hours, is earning a pittance, and likely has concerns about life that are valid and pressing. BUT! I don’t think it’s even the job that matters for the reaction we want in the last panel. I know several cunts who worked retail and still feel entitled enough to scream at a teenager stammering out the store’s policy.
The real difference is in the folks who had to keep their job or they and/or their family were fucked. When some dumbass complaining about you can get you fired, and all because you wouldn’t search the back for an item that’s not in the inventory or wouldn’t give them their ‘special person who’s a dweebus’ discount… that’s when you see people later in life have empathy, or even just do the bare minimum of introspection and realize that’s another person you’re talking to, not a robot that you have to scream at for it to work.
To me, that’s the real difference between the middle class and the working class. The middle class took that job at the local department store so they could get some spending money in their pocket once the parents stopped giving an allowance. They could curse out a customer, coolly stare the manager in the face and tell them they ain’t working X holiday, and drive back home to fill out an application for somewhere more poshy this time, so they don’t have to deal with all those smelly commons.
I never worked retail (well, once, but it was a very simple one where people could see for themselves all of our inventory and I was a glorified pointer), but did several stints in customer service jobs and several years in social work. I for sure can remember that the person working the job has likely been on their feet for hours, is earning a pittance, and likely has concerns about life that are valid and pressing. BUT! I don’t think it’s even the job that matters for the reaction we want in the last panel. I know several cunts who worked retail and still feel entitled enough to scream at a teenager stammering out the store’s policy.
The real difference is in the folks who had to keep their job or they and/or their family were fucked. When some dumbass complaining about you can get you fired, and all because you wouldn’t search the back for an item that’s not in the inventory or wouldn’t give them their ‘special person who’s a dweebus’ discount… that’s when you see people later in life have empathy, or even just do the bare minimum of introspection and realize that’s another person you’re talking to, not a robot that you have to scream at for it to work.
To me, that’s the real difference between the middle class and the working class. The middle class took that job at the local department store so they could get some spending money in their pocket once the parents stopped giving an allowance. They could curse out a customer, coolly stare the manager in the face and tell them they ain’t working X holiday, and drive back home to fill out an application for somewhere more poshy this time, so they don’t have to deal with all those smelly commons.